Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Some stuff happened yesterday I heard. Some government thing or whatever. Buncha people listening to a speech...

I'm so tired of hearing about it. Look, every God damned day is a historical day. Every God damned day the world changes forever. I know there's some pretty cool stuff going on, what with a president whose dad was from the country I called home in my childhood and all that. Plus he has a Klingon name. Good. Fine. OK. I GET IT.

Enough.

Phew.

ANYWAY, I'm still setting up World Domination Tour '09 (my book tour) and looking for venues. Right now I have some potential gigs in Portland and in Saskatoon probably in late April thru late May. It would be nice to fill in some stuff between in Seattle, Vancouver BC and anywhere else up there in the Northwest. So if anybody's got any ideas, please write me at spoozilla@gmail.com.

If anyone knows a booking agent that would be nice to have.

One of the things I keep getting asked lately is, "What's your new book about?" I always have trouble answering this one. When you ask anyone who makes some work of art what it's about or what genre it falls into they have a hard time answering. Everyone knows the old cliche of the band with three lead guitars, a giant fire breathing skull prop and a bank of Marshall amps who claim they're not heavy metal. Same with me.

It's a Zen book, I guess. That's where it'll be filed anyway. Although I was very gratified when Book Soup in Los Angeles filed Sit Down And Shut Up in the music section just after its release. They later moved it to "spiritual," which bummed me out. Such is life, though. It's about my mom dying, my grandma dying, my job ending and my marriage falling apart. It's also as much as this about the Dharma and how that worked into all of these things. I got fed up with Zen books that ignore real life and pretend we're all just sitting on mountain tops being beautiful. That's a lousy fantasy and it needed kicking in the teeth. Nobody was doing it, so I had to.

The other day I watched the Star Trek episode The Enemy Within. In this episode, Cpt. Kirk is split into two halves, one "good" and the other "evil." The "good" Kirk is easier to deal with, but he can't make any decisions and gradually begins to lose command. As Mr. Spock explains it, "What is it that makes one man an exceptional leader? We see here indications that it is his negative side that makes him strong, that his 'evil' side, if you will, properly controlled and disciplined, is vital to his strength."

There's another scene in which they're debating whether to tell the crew what has happened. Spock says (and this is from memory, Star Trek geeks feel free to correct me), "You are the captain of this ship. You haven't the luxury to be seen as anything less than perfect. If the crew sees you as less than perfect they lose faith and you lose command."

This also figures into the nature of the book. I think a lot of spiritual (forgive the use of that term) teachers believe this. They believe that they have to put on a front, to be seen as perfect, that if they are seen as anything less their followers will lose faith in what they teach. This, I think, is the basis of a lot of what goes on in the world of religion.

I've already had problems with people whose mental projections of me don't match what I really am or what they believe I ought to be and who experience tremendous disappointment and anger as a result. Some of this is in the new book. I've watched this same stuff happen with my own teachers as well. It seems almost a rite of passage.

I don't know if Mr. Spock is right about captains of Starships. Perhaps he is. I don't think this logic applies to Zen teachers, though. It's vital that we present ourselves realistically. It is impossible to present yourself completely in any book and I haven't tried. But what I have tried is to present the bare facts. I decided that if someone was going to write a Shoes Outside The Door or Great Failure type book about me, it was damned well gonna be me who did it first. I've dug up dirt on myself I guarantee nobody else could possibly have found. And hopefully I've also dug up some deeper truths than they could have discovered either.

I don't know how the book will be received. I imagine a great many readers will hold on to their fantasies. They'll read my account and think, "Well Brad isn't the superman I was looking for, maybe someone else is." They will be wrong. But they'll have to find that out themselves. And that will be much more painful.

138 comments:

I'm so tired of hearing about it. Look, every God damned day is a historical day.

Sounds like someone is still mad that his candidate didn't win the election.

I think a lot of spiritual (forgive the use of that term) teachers believe this. They believe that they have to put on a front, to be seen as perfect,

The way I was taught, you're supposed to proclaim your faults and hide your virtues. Of course, a lot of students like to THINK their teacher is perfect. It's an ego thing. But if a teacher is being led around by their students' expectations, they've abdicated their role as teacher.

"Look, every God damned day is a historical day. Every God damned day the world changes forever."

and

"I got fed up with Zen books that ignore real life and pretend we're all just sitting on mountain tops being beautiful. That's a lousy fantasy and it needed kicking in the teeth. Nobody was doing it, so I had to."

its theses little nuggets trhat keep me coming back for more. cant wait for the new book.

Even when one is sitting on a mountain top is isn't all its purported to be. Cold, rain, hauling water, walking all day for food and so on-real necessities of life don't magically vanish with a little sprinkling of bodhicitta dust. Same with retreats etc. It is just what it is and doesn't matter where.

I voted and support Obama. The only second thought I have in retrospect is his marketing of "Hope". It's one thing to wet the mind and inspire the heart but to market "hope" as a presidential campaign is like giving an exacta ticket to millions of people. I understand peoples reaction " if you don't have "hope" what do you have?" I feel you have a lot, such as the present moment. Hope projects the future and takes one out of the moment. Have you ever seen the face of hope? IE people buying lotto tickets. The race track. The slot machine. I fully support our president and as a citizen of the United States will strive to support his goals with all my heart.

I'm looking forward to the new book too. It's not a common combination where an author manages to write something about zen, seems to know what he's talking about, and is readable all at the same time. I guess it's kind of like juggling.

Some stuff happened yesterday I heard. Some government thing or whatever. Buncha people listening to a speech...He's a cynical, hack politician who's been elected because of his race. He's surrounded by weirdos and gangsters. Nothing good has happened. White people are BAD. Everyone's doing what Mr. TV tells them to do, because, you know, if you don't listen to Mr. TV, there goes your whole world view out the window. So what's new?

So let's say I had a I-am-everything experience last year just like the one you described on your first book, except that it was more interesting because I actually HAD instead of reading it - but after some six hours it faded away...

... does it entitle me to a free lifetime membership to SuicideGirls ? =)

"Some stuff happened yesterday I heard. Some government thing or whatever. Buncha people listening to a speech...

I'm so tired of hearing about it. Look, every God damned day is a historical day. Every God damned day the world changes forever. I know there's some pretty cool stuff going on, what with a president whose dad was from the country I called home in my childhood and all that. Plus he has a Klingon name. Good. Fine. OK. I GET IT."

Fucking WAAAAHHHHH! Brad. You can put your binkie back in your mouth now and go play Zen.

Actually, it was a funny post, given how you devoted a couple of paragraphs to crybabying over Obama, and then went on to shill your book.

Oh, I'm guessing your new book has something to do with this "Zen" stuff. Call me crazy.

BTW, I'm a bit of an asshole, so it is pretty easy for me to recognize this stuff when I see it.

life is not so much about being "Right" or "Wrong" so much as it is about "LIVING". the only way to come to your own terms with Life, is to Live it yourSelf. or rather "be a lamp unto yourselves"... hmmm...anyways remember all that stuff about questioning everything...

true Faith is not having to believe, but knowing without a shadow of a doubt

I don't know how the book will be received. I imagine a great many readers will hold on to their fantasies. They'll read my account and think, "Well Brad isn't the superman I was looking for, maybe someone else is." They will be wrong. But they'll have to find that out themselves.

Most people won't give a shit. Your book is completely unimportant. Whether people think you're perfect or not is unimportant. Apart from a few fanboys, most people realise you are an ordinary person and quite flawed. What is important is the quality of the lives we live and the ways we conduct ourselves. For this we need to get over our unimportant egotistical attachments, and cultivate genuine humility instead of making attention-seeking gestures of self-effacement. Learn to live for others. Get over yourself.

The new presidency of the USA will make a far bigger difference to people's lives, whether you confuse easy cynicism with zen or not.

I dont understand how people can call Brad self-centered. There is a concern that the new book will not be recieved well which a natural concern from someone who is putting their soul into something - but the people who do get something out of it will be greatful they had the resource available to them. The concern that people will lose their fondness or mental vision that they had is a bullshit thing to be concerned with. If they are having those kinds of visions its obvious that they are not having a realistic outlook on what is important and it will bite them in the ass sooner or later. Same thing can be said about buying a new car or getting a new job. All things are impermanent and anyone who is interested in Buddhism enough to give a shit about the new book or this blog should understand that to some extend, if not then the universe will eventually teach them the right lesson.

I'm so tired of hearing about it. Look, every God damned day is a historical day. Every God damned day the world changes forever. I know there's some pretty cool stuff going on, what with a president whose dad was from the country I called home in my childhood and all that. Plus he has a Klingon name. Good. Fine. OK. I GET IT

Is this a joke? Really I'm asking.. Remarks like this only reinforce my thoughts that zen is as divourced from reality as any other religion.

For the first time in 8 years we don't have a fucking idiot as president any more.. This is cause for a little joy, no? Or do you think it doesn't matter who holds office? Do you think we had to go to war needlessly in Iraq for example?

Also, to draw another example - do you think its possible that certain decisions on the part of the american president may have led to nuclear warfare during the cuban missle crisis?

I don't know what you mean "tired of hearing about it" Do you encounter people on the streets jumping up and down screaming for Obama? WTF? Of course the news networks are going to cover his inaugration on the 20th; of course they are going to report on his first executive decisions (like closing gitmo - but I suppose it doesn't matter if the US keeps torturing suspects - it has nothing to do with us - we're zen and we transcend all that!)

It's not Zen that's divorced from reality it's Brad and those who follow him.

To Brad and friends, the subject of his new book and whether people think he is 'too perfect' or not or whether Brad is referred to as 'roshi/zen master', is more important than the first black presidency of the USA and the over-turning of the neo-con nightmare than has cost thousands of lives and billions of dollars over the last 8 years.

Electing Barack Obama president is probably the most zen thing that has ever happened in America. The Buddha self nature has been recognized by many people in each other if only for just a moment. I am overjoyed that the little one knows she is equal and can achieve whatever her goal may be (this is personal). I wish for the President's success knowing that their will also be failures. But it is always the trying to do the right action which is the real success and that is why I have confidence in the President.

BTW, not to hijack the comments section, but i'm continuously amazed by how "normal" Obama seems to come off. I feel like he actually gets the joke of how crazy the whole presidency thing is, that he understands a lot of it is bullshit. It comes out a lot in his humor and is a nice change of pace from presidents that behave like humorless automatons (GW, Reagan, etc).

Gniz sed: I'm continuously amazed by how "normal" Obama seems to come off. I feel like he actually gets the joke of how crazy the whole presidency thing is, that he understands a lot of it is bullshit. It comes out a lot in his humor and is a nice change of pace from presidents that behave like humorless automatons (GW, Reagan, etc).

Gniz, Obama currently enjoys an 80% approval rating. Your non-objective feelings are in line with the current optimism. But things change. I won't be surprised when some people turn on him after it becomes fashionable.

Obama is fundamentally dishonestfor not admitting that the warsin Iraq and Afghanistan are aboutoil and gas. "Terrorism" is aconvenient fiction created by themilitary-industrial-intelligencebastards to "justify" their theftof natural resources.

"Chop wood, carry water"; it'sall about natural resources --the question is: can you do itwithout engaging in the use offorce and fraud?

'nuff 'bout other people and stuffmore 'bout me 'n what I'm up to, 'n what I'm doin'and are there any body people out there to help me with my book, my tour?the new book's about me, and this here blog's about me ('course it is)and oh, every now and then it's about things I like and things I don't likeand things I've had enough of--like things that aren't about me!

Being unreasonably attached to not being attached is also not a good thing.

Just because i think Obama's cool, or that he got elected makes me happy, does not mean I'm overly attached to Obama. In fact, i'd say most people aren't.

It's like being psyched when you watch Jordan dunk a basketball or Brady throw a touchdown. You just get excited and happy. And with Obama, its cool because he's also replacing a horrible, awful reign of GW Bush.

The idea that being happy about this is somehow un-buddhist or something is just silly.

Emptyzen, It just seems immature and reactionary...cynical even, to label all the excitement about Obama as people being overly attached, not focused enough on themselves, etc.

Its childish and extreme to assume that. I mean, to be honest, i've barely even paid attention to politics since Obama won. But I'm pretty happy he got in nonetheless.

Its a rather large assumption to make that someone who supports Obama or has a political opinion, a stake in anything other than washing their own dishes or their zafu, is somehow un-Buddhist, un-enlightened, or whatever other easy label someone could attach.

Having no opinion about politics, or not giving a shit about things outside your own dishes, does not make anyone more self-aware or more spiritually advanced.

I flat out stated to acknowledge what happened - here at the election or watching MJ play.

The key, I think, in my previous point is "unreasonably attached." Root for, be happy, cheer or whatever but there does come a point in time where it is not so much about the event (or person) but rather about maintaining some sort of elated feeling. I think that is the attachment issue.

Likewise unreasonably keeping a grudge of hatred against somebody is probably an attachment issue.

'nuff 'bout other people and stuffmore 'bout me 'n what I'm up to, 'n what I'm doin'and are there any body people out there to help me with my book, my tour?the new book's about me, and this here blog's about me ('course it is)and oh, every now and then it's about things I likeand things I don't likeand things I've had enough of--like things that aren't about me!

Just read the excerpt over at Amazon. It reads like the Suicide Girls article a while back with the bitch-slapping self-mortifying pole dancer or whoever. But this was about his mother's death. Is there anything this guy won't sensationalize to bring attention to himself?Unfortunate as he seemed to have a lot of potential-read the posts in this blog of a couple of years ago. Good stuff.Seems to be falling for his own hype now. Another one bites the dust. Fucking Hell.

Unfortunate as he seemed to have a lot of potential-read the posts in this blog of a couple of years ago. Good stuff.Seems to be falling for his own hype now. Another one bites the dust. Fucking Hell.

A lot of us feel this way. I loved the stuff Brad wrote before he became semi-famous. Same thing would have probably happened to me if I'd written a successful book and been chosen as head of some international sangha. Still, it is disappointing.

"Unfortunate as he seemed to have a lot of potential-read the posts in this blog of a couple of years ago. Good stuff.Seems to be falling for his own hype now."

I concur and have been saying it for awhile now. Although Brad still writes interestingly, it seems to be more about provocation and less about actually getting something across that feels genuine....the style now feels more contrived, more desperate for attention. In the past it really seemed like he was someone who was just putting out some stuff he'd figured out in a simple way, but that morphed (I'd say around the time he moved to LA and made writing Zen his career))....

Everyone here need to chill the fuck out. Nobody worships Brad, but he knows his stuff. A blog's purpose is for the expression of opinion. Don't read it if you don't like what he says. I don't think Brad feels he is self important. He needs push his book. He is a WRITER. That is his vocation you idiots. What, just because he practices Buddhism means he can't make money and market himself like the rest of us?

I sit plenty and happen to find a great amount of value in Brad's teaching. In fact if it weren't for Brad's book my old anger habits would have prompted me to take the stone I'm lifting in my avatar and crush you all with it.

"Its an interesting philosophy though. To Brad, cleaning your dishes really mindfully, is more important than closing guantanamo or stopping the iraq war."

brad went on a rant several months ago dissing the whole idea of mindfulness, but I see your point and your comment best be directed to Barack.

Re: attachment/non attachment to Obama. The whole feeling-accepting-lettinggo-acting is interesting because it can all happen in a moment or you can make it into a big production. Sitting helps develop a sense of timing.

I hope I don't read Brad's book and say 'where's the beef?' but for 10 bucks I think I'll get my moneys worth. Why do PHD's charge so much more for their books?

Wow, Brad has completed the descent into total irrelevance. Apparently, the fact that he wrote a book about his wife thinking he's not a man and Jundo writing him a mean email is way more important than Obama closing Gitmo, banning torture and warrantless wiretapping, and giving medical aid back to countries that allow abortion, all within his first few days in office. And he even managed to throw in a childish, xenophobic jab at Obama's name. Stay classy Brad! Yeah, I can't imagine why a conservative middle-aged white midwesterner can't see why anybody would care that we have our first president who wasn't white and had a foreign name. What's really relevant is how profound whichever b-list celebrity Brad hung with last week said about topic x and how it demonstrates a real Buddha-like wisdom that namby pamby "Buddhists" just don't get. Because somehow their 30 years of sitting zazen the exact way Brad advocates didn't enlighten them enough to realize that edgeplay and the military are punk, and punk is zen. Or something.

Al said:"A blog's purpose is for the expression of opinion. Don't read it if you don't like what he says"

I like some of the things Brad says. It's just that our viewpoints are different. So the question is how do you have world peace with so many different viewpoints? I guess anger management is a good start.

Babbles, I think you missed the point. It's silly to write 'blah blah stupid Obama who cares' as Brad essentially did (not for the first time) and then follow up it up with a bunch of self-centered and ultimately unimportant shit. The comparison isn't something I pulled out of my ass, it's RIGHT THERE. And honestly if zen is about just sitting with suicide girls and bad metal musicians and doing dishes, and holding these acts to be more important than whether we torture people, respect womens' rights, or attack Iran, then Zen is useless (however, I don't really believe this is what Zen is).

Justin, Gniz.. Do you believe how stupid Brad is for saying what he thinks and then using his real name? We even know what he looks like. You two anons are truly wise and wonderful for continually pointing out his flaws. gniz has been doing it for years. Brad is clueless and you two really get it. kudos to both of you.

Al Coleman holds a white ball in his profile pic. This obviously means he wishes for a WHITE world. Since when is zen part of the White Power movement? All that meathead weight lifting may be going to Al's head. Time for some serious zazen, lil' Al.

And honestly if zen is about just sitting with suicide girls and bad metal musicians and doing dishes, and holding these acts to be more important than whether we torture people, respect womens' rights, or attack Iran, then Zen is useless (however, I don't really believe this is what Zen is).

It's silly to write 'blah blah stupid Obama who cares' as Brad essentially did (not for the first time) and then follow up it up with a bunch of self-centered and ultimately unimportant shit. The comparison isn't something I pulled out of my ass, it's RIGHT THERE.

I think this is a very pedestrian understanding of things. You appointed yourself the judge of what is important and unimportant. It is rather audacious to sit back and selectivity determine what is important and unimportant.

And honestly if zen is about just sitting with suicide girls and bad metal musicians and doing dishes, and holding these acts to be more important than whether we torture people, respect womens' rights, or attack Iran, then Zen is useless (however, I don't really believe this is what Zen is).

"Washing one's bowl is just as important as closing Gitmo." Certainly it is to you, or maybe to your husband/wife, etc.But realizing that some things are more valuable to people outside of your little circle DOES have some validity. That kind of blase attitude kind of feels like you're taking a crap on what other people have to deal with in this world.Realizing how lucky i am to live comfortably, typing on my little computer in my nice warm house, never worrying about where my next meal is coming from, never worrying about maybe being imprisoned for my beliefs, never worrying about being judged because of my skin color....i think it's sad to pretend that by "washing my bowl" i'm doing something as important as Obama closing gitmo.

I get that we need to worry about our own lives and relationships, but oversimplifying with these kinds of statements is part of what irritates me about Brad and people who agree with his latest statements regarding politics. Let's not go too far in the direction of self-centered thinking.

Let's be happy that there is a little less torture and brutality in the world at this moment then there was a few weeks or days ago.

it's just a 'bigger' bowl if you will--it's the mixing bowl--or the bigger mixing bowl

'course the self is always the bowl getting washed

brad is an artist and artists aren't the usual fare of folkhe is a musician of sorts and a writer of sortsconsidering this deeply is to understand betterthe strengths which are his weaknesses and his weaknesses which are his strengths

he is a working artist This isn't quite the same as a lay practicioner, but he is unprotected out there in the worldhis is not a protected monastic setting.nor 'should' it bethese are just the facts of the situationhe won't always be so 'callow' if you will (for lack of a better term at this moment as I type)heand everything elseis evolvinghe is brave where he is brave

his book comes to us through his efforts and through the efforts of so many others who make his book possiblein fact it is everything in all places and all worlds which make his book (and everything else, including the washing of your bowl and the closing if gitmo)possible

I like the way you put it. If only Brad and others could be as artful in stating this as you, I wouldn't complain. It's the "belittling" way that I read some of those previous comments (and Brad's article), that somehow closing Gitmo is actually LESS important than washing your bowl.Now no one actually said that, but sometimes its implied when Brad or others sort of poke fun at how everyone is happy about Obama being elected or cares about politics. Again, one does not negate the other (Gitmo closing or bowls being washed), and so really the two have nothing (and everything) to do with one another.

I believe that Brad is a proponent of the butterfly effect. Doing dishings, cleaning your room, smiling at strangers is more far reaching and positive than electing Obama. Anything done out of mindfulness and takes into consideration, the universe as one entity, is more effective than millions of idealists electing another idealist. Its all divisive.

Of course, I haven't meditated for 25 years to realize what he is talking about, and neither have you.

Gniz, this thinking of LESS or MORE important may be the center of all of our problems. And just who(?) knows exactly what happened at Gitmo? All we THINK we know may just be information passed along through devices of entertainment like newspapers and television.

It doesn't matter much if Brad thinks people got too excited about President Obama's inauguration. You may agree or not (I don't), but it doesn't mean Brad is a fraud or he's lost it as a teacher. It's just a couple of sentences on a blog, for gawd's sake! It illustrates the point that people are to fast to jump to conclusions: this is bad, this is good ... chill a little and just let things be. These snap judgements usually say more about our state of mind than about what we're judging.

I appreciate the work Brad is doing for the dharma, as I know running a weekly meditation group is 99% grunt work and 1% glory. Try to remember the good Brad is doing the next time he says something really stupid and hold back a little on the nasty remarks, ok?

We should all get back to the important realities of our lives: washing our bowls, caring for others around us, being aware of wider realities and the genuine effects that our actions have on the world, oh and celebrating the inauguration of the new president.

How did people get from "...New President... I get it" to "Brad's wants Gitmo to stay open?"

There's an article in the UK about Guantanamo 2 that is still open and expanding and not subject to presedential closure.

If GitMo is closed AND the people detained there are released then that will make a difference to the people concerned and their families. But at the same time let's be honest and say that from what documentaries I've seen in the UK the people coming out of that place have been seriously damaged by it and may never recover fully from what was done to them in the name of "The American Way of Life".

Now President Obama might do some good in the world and might make a good president but he is just some guy and he's not the second-coming of the messiah. I doubt if his hands will be stain-free by the end of his term either. His job can be a dirty one.

Since I live in the UK I'm not entirely sure what difference he'll make to my life although at the same time if he sorts out the USA financial system it will make a difference to me.

Brad is being idealistic.Brad is projecting his ideals onto the world.And therefore not accepting it/us as we is.Not accepting it/us as we is, is a violent action.

Anoushka is being idealistic.Anoushka is projecting her ideals onto the world.And therefore not accepting us as we is.Not accepting us as we is, is a violent action.

Justin is being idealistic...etc

It can go on and on. People judge others and others judge them for it. While it's good to help others with their suffering by speaking out about suffering and taking steps, from the zen perspective it's important to try not to be judgmental. It is possible to help others without getting caught up in our feelings of right and wrong. Some people are very good at this.

And the butterfly effect doesn't work like that. The effects described in this phenomenon are totally chaotic (ie. random) therefore nothing predictably important or beneficial comes of washing your bowl (apart from its becoming clean), whereas predictably important and beneficial things have a good chance of coming from the inauguration of Obama and even from celebrating it.

What zen teaches is that if we attend to ourselves in the right way - if we are aware and compassionate - this will affect others and ourselves in a good way. This would apply to a celebration of Obama's inauguration as well as washing a bowl. And in my opinion means not being dismissive and judgmental about the importance of and people's reaction to inauguration of a historical new president.

Zen also teaches us to try to give ordinary events as much attention as big exciting events. But this is not the same as saying that all events are equally important (which is a value judgement) or that giving some events more importance than others should be criticized. And we can be certain that Brad treats some things (his book sales for example) with more importance than things such as hair fashion, Genpo roshi's feelings or Obama.

It is obvious that Brad just doesn't like politics or liberals and is annoyed by the fuss.

And that's completely OK. But what I think is worth speaking out about is that fact that he presents his preferences as Zen or as if somehow supported by Zen. This is false dharma. Most readers of Brad's books are young and have little other exposure to Buddhism and are therefor easily misled.

It sounds like people are taking this phrase to mean that Zen is being conscientious and mindful of the details of everyday life. Maybe so so, but I'd guess that there's more to the koan that that. I find that when I interpret Zen in a moralistic way (do this and don't do that) I've misunderstood Zen. The chief purpose of Zen is understanding and not behavior.

What is "understanding?" If you mean realization, then perhaps there is some space for agreement. If you mean aware of the present moment...

The purpose of Zen is to be "less."

1) Less elated (manic).2) Less bummed (depressed).3) Less compulsive about the future.4) Less compulsive about the past.5) Less attached to material things.6) Less angry.7) Less biased.8) Less bitter.9) Less of an asshole (I'm still working on this).

With enough "less," you can approach nothing and nothingness is highly valued in my distorted view of Zen.

At some point, we're just some ants on some mound, scrambling to build, and it's all useless.

Karma is inevitable. For every good thing Obama does, someone out there will react. So is it all bad or all good? If more people spent their time writing about the melodrama of their lives, we wouldn't need Obama.

And before you quote some dead master or past teacher of yours, try putting YOUR zen into Jinzang's words.

You should consider what those old dead masters and past teachers said much more reliable than what I say. I'm just some schmoe with an old imac and a dsl connection. But since you asked for my opinion and I'm not shy about handing them out, here it is.

Once a student has been practicing Zen for a while a horrible transformation takes place. They become an accomplished Zen practitioner. They learn how to sit motionless. They learn the chants and the rituals. They memorize the usual Zen quotes and catch phrases. But despite knowing all this stuff, there's one thing they don't see. All these accomplishments are performed out of a contrived mind. All behavior is a contrivance. Understanding is seeing contrivance as contrivance, abandoning it, and resuming our natural mind. That's mahamudra and that's zen.

I believe that Brad is a proponent of the butterfly effect. Doing dishings, cleaning your room, smiling at strangers is more far reaching and positive than electing Obama. Anything done out of mindfulness and takes into consideration, the universe as one entity, is more effective than millions of idealists electing another idealist. Its all divisive.

This seems quite correct to me. It doesn't mean that one shouldn't have voted for Mr O if one thought it would do for a good change. But that is somewhat remote. BHO will not change much if we don't do that and expect him to do all the work.

As for us, on the other side of the Atlantic, the situation is even much more surreal. Anyone who is a bit politically conscious knows that The US will keep fostering the barbary of Israel upon Palestinians, try to keep Europe from doing anything concerted, push upon the British for sabotaging any initiative that might be annoying to the US Administration, and laugh out loud at our French high-heeled dwarf president.

To work authentically with other people, avoid projecting your woes onto them. When you see others in a negative light, think: are you projecting? Also understand that when others criticizing you, they may well be criticizing a projection of themselves.

When others are using projection, you can hold up a mirror to show them what they are doing. As usual, this may well be met with other forms of resistance.

"I did say I was cautiously pessimistic about Obama's Presidency - but this is simply acknowledging the reality of an American Empire that is out of control and on the verge of collapse. Let us not forget that on the eve of the election, we witnessed a near-trillion dollar robbery of the US treasury. That robbery is still taking place. I do not blame President Obama, but I do not believe the financial and corporate interests that own and control this country will fold so easily. I do not question the integrity of the man as much as the power of his office - which I believe has greatly diminished over the years. I believe the Federal Reserve Bank, the Military Industrial Complex, and the massive corporate interests that run this country have more power than our new President. I hope I am wrong.

"After 9/11, I witnessed most of this country become obsessed with squashing dissent and silencing critics. I hope this election does not turn Black America towards this same, fascist mind state; but already I am starting to see it, and it saddens me greatly. I absolutely wish our new President and his family success and safety. But after all I have witnessed in my lifetime, and especially in the last eight years, I am not ready to lay down my skepticism or my outrage for this government. To do so would be unwise and, ironically enough, anti-American."

I'm not going to pretend to speak for Brad, but I think I get what he's saying about the recent election. Separate the perception from the reality.

A lot of people (arguably 'right' or 'wrong') have invested a lot of meaning and symbolism into the election of Obama. From a Zen perspective, these things are empty, and attaching to it is misleading.

That's not to say the event is empty--the event is real. The important part underlies the symbolism.

I voted for the man too--but I didn't vote for him because he's black and my age and because it would just be soooo cool to show how we've turned the corner on racism by validating MLK's dream and how this will transform society by righting historic wrongs and now we'll be on the right track and all the evil will be vanquished yada yada yada...

I voted for him because I thought he was the most qualified to take on the problems we've got right now. Now he's President. Cool. Great. Bitchin.

I like the book. I ended up ordering your first one as well once I finished it. I think finally something I can relate to that isn't all mystical. I just started sitting my Zazen, 3 days in and only a lifetime to go. Thanks for they eye opening information. You say you missed the mark, I say take a page from your own book. "Bullseye"